Crunchy Ice
by 1010'jin
Summary: Hermione and Ginny on a hot afternoon at the Burrow. Or cold, if you think about it. HGxGW oneshot


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_Crunchy Ice_

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"Lemonade…"

Ginny Weasley cracked open an eye, squinting against the sunlight that streamed through the tree branches. A long piece of grass moved slightly between her lips, pinkened from hours of cherry eating. "What was that?" she asked sleepily, stifling a yawn.

Propped on her elbows beside the redhead, Hermione Granger chuckled quietly, plucking idly at the grass. "I was just thinking of this game I used to play when I was a little girl."

Ginny sat up, her braided hair falling over her bare shoulder. "What was it called?" she wanted to know, blue eyes wide and unblinking.

"It was called 'Lemonade,' Gin—it was a sort of hand game." Hermione gestured, pantomiming the movements to the best of her ability. It ended up looking like an imitation of a bird with a broken wing.

Ginny snorted, letting the grass fall from her lips.

Faintly annoyed, Hermione tucked a strand of hair, streaks of gold highlighted from the sun, behind her ear. "No, no, it looked more like this."

The Weasley girl could only stare helplessly as her friend swatted and clawed at the air in front of them.

"Or like…" Hermione shook her head and muttered to herself, eyes darkening with traces of frustration. "I swear it was like…"

"Hermione." Ginny said, a fond smile tugging at her lips.

The older witch glanced up. "Yeah?"

"How about instead of sitting here in the sun—which is getting a little hot, if you ask me—we go inside and have a nice glass of lemonade?"

Hermione Granger grinned. "With ice?"

"Mm. Crunchy ice. C'mon." Ginny pulled them to their feet, bouncing on her toes, impatient.

"Wait. Wait." Hermione halted, the shadows of the tree overhead casting her tanned face into shadows. "Crunchy ice…huh…"

"What is it?" Ginny wondered impatiently.

Hermione straightened, eyes widening. "That's it! I remember the verse to the game!"

"That's great, now…"

"See, it goes like this…"

"Hermione?"

"Yeah?"

"Be quiet and come like the good little obedient girl you are."

"Wait, wait, but I almost got it!" Hermione was frantically jumping about, willing her brain to remember, and totally ignoring the poke to her personality. "It was…it was…"

Ginny watched with interest, a smile curling her lips. Lunging, she caught a flailing limb and dragged her to the Burrow. "You can think of it in the nice, cool shade while I make us some delicious lemonade, okay?"

Hermione's gaze was still glazed over. "Okay, Gin."

"And while we're at that could you show me that Cat's Cradle thing you do with string?"

"Sure."

"And afterwards could you teach me how to do that hand game you're thinking about?"

"Of course!"

"Oh, and you could do my homework while you're at it."

Hermione stopped. "Hilarious, Ginny."

Ginny laughed. "So close."

The two witches wandered inside the kitchen, Hermione flopping into one of the chairs while Ginny began mixing together their drinks.

"Here."

She set the glass, beads of condensation rolling down the surface and pooling at the base, onto the table. Hermione picked it up gratefully, eyes watching the redhead slide into her seat as well.

"Ahh, times like these you've got to just love magic. Makes the little things a lot easier than they are." She grinned, tipping her head back to take a long sip, sighing with satisfaction.

Hermione stared as a drop of lemonade quivered at the tip of Ginny's glistening lip, watching as it made a hurried path down her chin and slender neck, disappearing beneath the scoop-neck tank top.

"Ack. Cold." Ginny squirmed, popping an ice cube into her mouth.

"But oh so very refreshing," Hermione pointed out, pressing the cold glass to her forehead.

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a bit, ignoring their sticky fingers and hot skin. Their eyes met in a clash of electrifying sparks, and the temperature reached a boiling point.

"I think," Hermione said, eyes unmoving, "that a cold shower is in order."

"I definitely could use one," Ginny agreed. "C'mon. We can share one."

Hermione, by now beyond used to this phenomenon of taking showers with her friend, could not hold back a blush unfurling across her already flushed cheeks. "S-sure."

They stood up and made their way up the stairs, not bothering to grab a change of clothes. Together they stripped and stepped into the shower, shivering from the cold tiles beneath their feet. And when Hermione gripped the handles and yanked them down firmly, they both gave a cry when the freezing water came pounding down on them.

After getting over the initial shock, they stood beneath the water, hair slicked back and eyes glittering, close enough to feel her breath on her cheek.

Hermione shivered once more, and suddenly Ginny gripped the back of her head and pulled her closer, pressing her wet lips against Hermione's. The kiss they shared was cool, soft, and wonderful. And totally unexpected (and not, at the same time).

Ginny jerked back, flushing softly. "S-sorry," she said, glancing away shyly.

"No…it…it's my fault." Hermione said, tucking a loosed strand of darkened hair behind her ear. They stood beneath the water, cheeks flushed and eyes averted, for a while.

"I think we should get out now," Ginny said. "I'm starting to get cold." She began laughing.

"It is cold. I have goosebumps. See?" Hermione raised an arm to prove her point.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

They hesitated.

"You can go first."

"No, it's okay, you're closer to the door."

"Alright then."

"Okay."

They stared uncertainly at each other.

And somehow, on their way out of the shower, they found themselves pressed together, kissing frantically.

Hotly.

Wetly.

Passionately.

And their goosebumps vanished from their chilled skin, and their cheeks heated once more, lips swollen.

Hermione pulled away a bit, close enough for their lips to brush as she spoke. "I think I'm going to need another cold shower soon." She smirked.

"Mm. And lemonade afterwards, too."

"We can't forget the ice." Hermione said, smiling.

"Yep." Ginny reached back, blindly, and yanked on the handle. Neither of them flinched as the water came back in torrents on them. "You know something, Hermione? I like lemonade a lot," she pressed her lips to Hermione's collarbone softly, "but I think you're a lot sweeter."

"Aww, how cute!" Hermione laughed, the glorious sound echoing over the roaring of the water pounding down on the slick tiles.

"…not cute." Ginny muttered. Hermione didn't hear her; however, because she was too busy kissing Ginny again.

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_AN://: Hello you people! I've procrastinated so long and haven't really finished anything I wanted to (it's a talent of mine, really) that I was like, 'Y'know what? To hell with it!' and decided to just upload this one—a tip of the hat to the hot days of summer. _

_--1010'jin_

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